Adjustable fence for machine tools



Dec. 2, 1952 A, J, OKAMURQ 2,619,998

V ADJUSTABLE FENCE FOR MACHINE TOOLS Filed Aug. 16, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet1.

If- .kJ '22 39 29 l I 1s l i 41 l'//l/////// '-Jl /12- 11 x7 ASAKALoKAMurzo 5 I 1s// L kl- I By 1/ www ATTORNEYS Dec. 2, 1952 A 1 QKAMURO2,619,998

ADJUSTABLE FENCE FOR MACHINE TOOLS Filed Aug. 16, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 2E] @fk5 2.2 25 '21,42%

'Enf

mms/TOR. u '2Q AsAKA 5.oKAMus2A \l l BY A TTOQNE YS Dec. 2, 1952 A J,OKAMURQ 2,619,998

ADJUSTABLE FENCE FOR MACHINE TOOLS Filed Aug. 16, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 5?/NVENTOE ASA KA J. OKAMUJRO Dec. 2, 1952 A' L OKAMURO 2,619,998

ADJUSTABLE FENCE FOR MACHINE TOOLS Filed Aug. 16, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 4"n: O 7** O S ,gif

gD l S C] H I O\ x :s s U 1-4 H INVENTOR.

ASAKA `LOKAMUIZO DeC- 2, 1952 A. J. oKAMuRo ADJUSTABLE FENCE FOR MACHINETooLs 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. v16, 1950 Patented Dec. 2, 14952ADJUSTABLE FENCE FOR MACHINE TOOLS Y Asaka J. Okamuro, Kalamazoo, Mich.,assignor to Atlas Press Company, Kalamazoo, Mich., a corporation ofMichigan Application August 16, 1950, Serial N0. 179,695

. 2 Claims. (Cl. 1411-253) This invention relates to fences or guidesfor machine tools such as jointers which have a table` over which thework piece moves and whose path is determined by the fence or guide, andparticularly to such a fence which can be adjusted along the table topand also can be adjusted angularly with reference to the table top toassist in beveling or squaring the work piece.

i fOne of the objects of the invention is to provide suchsa fence whichcan be manufactured easily and inexpensively.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a fence which may beeasily and accurately adjusted.

Another object ofthe invention is to provide such a fence in which thelower edge of the fence is kept down into contact with the table at` alltimes so that inaccuracy will not creep `into the work due to shiftingof the fence under pressure of the work piece.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art from the following specification and the drawings in`which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view partly in section showing one form ofthe invention; Fig` 2 is a top plan view of the fence shown in Fig. 1with portions of the fence broken away;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. l showing the fence in a differentadjusted position;

Fig. 4 is a front elevational View of the fence with portions of thefence broken away to `show the relationship of the parts; i

Fig. 5 is a detailed sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4; s s

Fig. 6 is a detailed sectional view taken on the line 6--6 of Fig. 5showing a portion of the clamping mechanism which holds the fence inadjusted position;

Fig. 7 is a top plan view partly in section taken on the line 'I-l ofFig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of a fence embodying a different form of theinvention;

Fig. 9 is an end elevation of the fence shown in Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a detailed sectional view taken on the line IU-IU of Fig. 8;

Fig. l1 is a detailed sectional View of the clamping and adjustingmechanism taken on the line II--II of Fig. 8; and

Fig. 12 is a detailed sectional view of the mechanismffor anchoring thefence shown in `In general the fence consists of a base which 2 ismovable over the table of the machine tool. It has a fence which isoffset laterally from the base and is joined to the base with a linkconnection. A rod is provided which is'also pivoted to the fence and isconnected by suitable means for slidable and pivotal movement on thebase. It is provided With a clamping mechanism and by sliding this rodlongitudinally the angle Awhich the face presents to the work piece onthe table may be varied. A second rod is also provided which ispivotally connected to the fence or to the link connection. It isprovided with means on the base connecting it for sliding and pivotalmovement and is provided with clamping means which may be the sameclamping means as are provided for the first` mentioned rod. By clampingthis rod to the base when the fence has been adjusted to the de siredangle, the fence is anchored and cannot be raised or moved away from thetable when the machine and fence are in use.

In the form of invention shown in Figs. 1-7, the machine tool which ishere a jointer, is indicated generally at I. It has a table top 2 overwhich the work piece is moved, a slot 3 and a cutter 4, which projectsfrom the slot.

The fence consists of a base 5 which is slidably mounted on the tabletop for movement from left to right as viewed in Figs. 1-3. The top ofthe table is provided with a keyway 6 and a corresponding keyway 'I isprovided in the bottom of the base 5. A key 8 fits in these keyways andserves to guide the movement of the base. When it is desired to move thefence for any reason the fence is lifted from the table top and the key8 is likewise removed, leaving a wide, nat space which is sometimesnecessary for special operations.

The base is slotted as indicated at 9 to receive a clampingbolt I0,which is provided with a hand nut I I. The table is suitably aperturedat I2 to receive the bolt and the base 5 may be securely anchored in thedesired position by merely tightening the hand nut I I.

The fence I3 is preferably of cast material and has a ground face I4,against which the Work piece rests when the fence is in use. The loweredge of the fence is beveled, as indicated at I5, to permit adjustmentto at least from the table top in a directicntoward the base. The fenceis mounted in an offset relationship to thebase with the face I4 facingaway` from the base by means of a link'connection I6, which is pivotallyconnected' on pivots I'Ito the ears I8 on the base. The other end ofthe' link connection |6 is pivoted on pivots |9 to ears 20 which aremounted on a sheet metal plate 2| which is attached to the back of thefence by means of screws 22. This connection permits the base to bemoved to various adjusted positions with its lower edge always incontact with the table.

A rod 23 is pivotally connected to the fence with a pivot 24 whichconnects with an ear 25 on the plate 2|. This pivot 24 is parallel tothe pivot |9 link connection but spaced therefrom. The rod 23 isslidably and pivotally connected to the base by means of a bearing 27which slidably receives the rod 23 in an aperture 28 (Figs. 5 and 6) andwhich is provided with a shank 29 which is pivotally received in anaperture 30 in an ear 3| which extends upwardly from the base 5. Theshank 29 is screw-threaded at 32 to engage a clamping nut 33 which isprovided with a hand wheel 33. To adjust the fence to various langularpositions, the rod 23 is moved longitudinally in the bearing 2 to thedesired position, which pivots the bearing on its shank 29. To clampthe. rod in adjusted position, `there is a shell 35 which surrounds thebearing 2l and lis provided with an aperture 35 through which the rod 23slides. The aperture 33 is spaced from the bottom of the shell which isapertured at 3? to receive the shank 29 a distance greater than theaperture 28 is spaced from the bottom 38 of the bearing 2'|,vso thatwhen the nut 33 is 4tightened the bearing 21 is pulled to the right asviewed in Fig. 6, anchoring the rod 23.

A second rod 39 is pivotally connected to the fence at 49. In the formof invention shown, the pivot about which the rod 39 is pivoted is thepivot I9 for the end of the link connection i6. The other end of the rod39 is slidably and pivotally connected to the base. In the form ofinvention shown in Figs. 1 7 the end of the rod 39 is looped around asis shown at 4| to form a slot 42 which i'lts over the shank 29 of thebearing 21. This loop lies between the clamping nut 33 and the ear 3|,where it is engaged by a washer 43. This connection permits the rod 39to slide as the fence is moved to various of its adjusted positions andalso to pivot about the shank. When the nut 33 is tightened, the rod 39is also clamped to the base.

Were it not for the r-od 39 and the clamping mechanism, when the fenceis in the position shown in Fig. 3, the work piece would r-aise thefence from the table top, thus destroying the accuracy of the work doneon the machine tool.

In the form of invention shown in Figs. 8-12, the machine tool isindicated generally at and the table top is indicated at |02. The baseE05 is guided on thetable by means of keyway |05 in the table top andkeyway |07 in the bottom of the base and the key |09 which nts in thekeyways. This arrangement permits the entirefence to be removed from thetable top and by removal of the key |08 to provide a completelyunobstructed surface.

The base |05 is clamped in adjusted position by an eccentric clamp whichis pivotally mounted on the table and which may be swung over the baseto clamping position or below the table when an unobstructed surface isdesired. The eccentric clamp is indicated at |09 and consists of a rodi9 journalled in the table, the eccentric `rod y| and the adjustableclamping members H2. The fence ||3 is cast iron and is provided With aground work-engaging face vH4 and is bevellcd as indicated at ||5 tomake it substantially the same in material respects as the fence I3. Alink connection ||6 is provided between the fence ||3 and the base |05.It is pivoted on pivots I1 which bear in ears |8 on the base |05. Theother end of the link connection I3 is pivoted to the fence with thepivots ||9 which are disposed in ears |20 on the fence H3.

A rod |23 .is pivotally connected by pivot |24 tothe fence ||3 throughears |25. The rod |23 is pivotally and slidably connected to the base|05 through a bearing |21 which is provided with an aperture |28 toreceive the rod |23. This bearing is suitably supported on threadedtubular members |29 which sit in tapered bearings |30k (Fig. 11) and arescrew-threaded in the ears 3| whichk project upwardly from the base |05.The bearing |21 is screw-threaded at |32 to receive the screw-threadedclamping rod |33 which is provided with a hand wheel |34 for clampingthe rod |23 for anchoring it. An indexing mechanism is provided whichconsists of a plunger |35 adapted to engage in aperture |35 in the rod|23. The plunger |35 is fitted in the bore |31l and is provided with acompression spring |38 biased to urge it toward the rod |23. Y A secondro-d |39, which in this form of the invention is a hat rod, is pivotedat |40 to the link member i6 midway of its pivot points. The other endof the rod |39 is slidably and pivotally connected to the base at itsother end |4| by means of a slot |42. A clamping nut |43 is provided forclamping the rod |39 against an ear |3|. The slot |42 ts over one of themembers |29 for sliding connection.

In using this form of the invention, the clamping of the rod |23 and theclamping of the rod |39 are independent operations, it being necessarytoA tighten both the wheels |34 and |43 to effect tightening. Of course,if the indexing mechanism |35 is employed it is not necessary to tightenthe member |33 through the hand wheel i3d since the indexing mechanismwill hold the rod and the connected fence in the desired position. Whenboth the rod |23 and the rod |39 are clamped in position the fence isheld rigidly in the desired position with its lower edge do-wn to thetable and it is not possible to raise the fence away from the tableduring use.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that only two forms ofthe invention have been illustrated and that forms of the inventionother than these preferred forms may be employed. By illustrating thesepreferred Jforms there is no intention of limiting the invention to thespec'ic forms shown. l

What is claimed is:

1. An adjustable fence for machine tools having tables over which workpieces are moved comprising a base movable over the table, a fenceoffset laterally from said base having a workengaging face facing awayfrom said base and having a bevelled lower edge for engaging the tablehaving its bevel facing said base, a link connection between said baseand fence having' one end pivoted to said base and the other end pivotedto said fence on a first fence pivot, a rod having one end pivoted tosaid fence on a second fence pivot parallel to but spaced from and abovethe rst fence pivot of saidlink connection, a bearing pivoted on saidbase and slidably receiving said rod whereby said rod may be adjustedlongitudinally for different angular adjustment oi said fence,v a secondrod vpivoted to said -fence on a third fence pivot spaced downwardlyfrom said second fence pivot and having its other end looped to form aslot extending longitudinally of said second rod, a pin on said basetted in said slot to slidably guide said rod and serve as a pivottherefor during adjustment of said fence and means for clamping both ofsaid rods in adjusted position to said base, whereby the fence may beheld clown to the table and in adjusted angular position.

2. An adjustable fence for machine tools having tables over which workpieces are moved comprising a base movable over the table, a fenceoffset laterally from said base and having a workengaging face facingaway from said base and having a bevelled lower edge for engaging thetable and having its bevel facing said base, a link connection betweensaid base and fence having one end pivoted to said base and the otherend pivoted to said fence on a rst fence pivot, a rod having one endpvoted to said fence on a second fence pivot parallel to but spaced fromand above the rst fence pivot of said link connection, means slidablyand pivotally connecting said rod to said base, whereby said rod may beadjusted longitudinally for different angular adjustments of said fence,a second rod pivoted to said fence on a third fence pivot spaceddownwardly from the second fence pivot, and means connecting the otherend of said second rod slidably and pivotally to said base, and meansfor clamping both of said rods in adjusted position to said base,whereby the fence may be held down to the table and in adjusted angularposition.

ASAKA J. OKAMURO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name lDate 378,924 Farwell Mar. 6, 1888FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 128,564 Germany Feb. 26, 1902469,671 France May 26, 1914

